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India's parliament erupts in chaos over new state bill

A member of India's parliament leaves the building after pepper spray was released inside.

AFP: Prakash Singh

India's parliament has erupted in chaos over a bill to create a new state with angry MPs coming to blows, pulling out a microphone and pepper spraying the chamber, local reports said.

Holding banners and shouting slogans, members of parliament disrupted the lower house of parliament as the Congress-led government introduced the contentious bill to create the new state called Telangana from an area in the existing state of Andhra Pradesh.

Politicians opposed to the new state pulled out an official's microphone and one unleashed a can of pepper spray, prompting a rush for the exit, local media reported.

Several MPs had to be taken to hospital suffering breathing problems, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.

Small fights also took place between MPs opposed to the bill and several trying to stop the chaos and restore order, as the parliament was adjourned, the news agency said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath slammed the unrest as a "big blot on our parliamentary democracy", and called for the "strongest possible" action against the offending MPs.

"It is the most shameful day in our parliamentary history," Mr Nath told reporters outside the parliament.

The speaker of the house later suspended 17 MPs over the unrest, which also saw several politicians ripping up official papers and one smashing a glass, PTI reported.